My new Colt

[mrmeval]

I never thought I'd own a Colt revolver. They're usually priced out of what I can afford. But a gentleman came up to the table at the Indy 1500 Gun and Knife show I work for a friend and had one for sale. His price was higher than I wanted to pay considering the finish on the gun so I made an offer. He said he'd take that if I'd throw in some merchandise. I talked to my friend and agreed on a price for the merchandise and bought the revolver. At that point he pulls out the research papers on the revolver which shocks me greatly.

I now have a Colt Official Police .38spl that shipped to the Police Equipment Bureau City of New York Police Department on June 27, 1962. That's the year I was born.

It's been at another police department not listed on colts paper work. SFPD is stamped on the back strap.

I'm not sure what happened to the finish but it's all over the gun, even under the grips. It looks like it took a swim. It looks like parkerizing but doesn't feel like it and is very mottled but smooth. There is no pitting.

I'd like to find out if I got a good deal, with cash and trade I have $165 in it. I'd also like to know if getting someone to restore the finish is worth it.

 

[Old Fuff]

At $165.00 you got a super deal...

As for refinishing, if they'd do it, the Colt factory would be the best (but not least expensive) bet.

Why....

Because they still have the custom polishing wheels used on the Python, and the Official Police frame and cylinder are mostly identical. Also they are still using the DuLite bluing process that was used when the revolver was made.

Generally refinishing a gun will substantially reduce it's value as a collectable, but a correct, factory refinish will have the least negative impact.

 

[rcmodel]

Kinda odd that it lettered to NYCPD but is stamped SFPD.

San Fransisco PD?
Or Subway Forensics PD?

Must'a been some intra-department trading going on?

rcmodel

 

[Jim Watson]

Looks like bare metal to me. Certainly worth asking Colt if they would do a factory refinish.

Grips look like Python or Trooper of the era, the frame is the same.

 

[mrmeval]

From the serial on proofhouse it was made in 1953. I didn't put up the huge picture my camera takes. That's rescaled to 640x480. It shows up as rusty but it really isn't. It looks dull mottled gray with darker splotches. It's very smooth with no pitting.

The ones with -l are the larger ones.

http://mrmeval.is-a-geek.net/~mrmeval/images/Colt Revolver/

http://mrmeval.is-a-geek.net/~mrmeval/images/Colt Revolver/dsc00036-l.jpg

 

[mrmeval]

I'm going to claim it's from the San Futuro Police Department.

 

[Starter52]

You got a fantastic deal. Those 2nd Generation Colt stocks alone are worth $165 on eBay.

 

[bannockburn]

mrmeval

I can't say for sure, but to me it almost looks like it was plated at one time, and then later, the plating was removed, for whatever reason. Still, an interesting piece; perhaps if you do decide to have Colt work on it, they might be able to determine what happened with the original finish.

 

[mrmeval]

Thanks for the replies. I'll be contacting Colt to see about getting it refinished. If I do I will post pictures, hopefully better quality ones.